Collapsible crate.



A. A. TAYLOR.-

OOLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1910.

991,666. Patented May 9,1911.

UNI

ADRIAN A. TAYLOR, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

COLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 9, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADRIAN A. TAYLOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapst ble Crates, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to crates for shipping bunches of bananas and other products and has for its object the provision of a crate that is collapsible when empty, the crate consisting of a series of rings or bands secured together by means of infolding hinges, the corresponding members of the hinges where pivoted being formed with hooks to receive hoops or bands secured to the rings by flexible suspending members to hold the hinges in an extended position when the crate is in position for use, the hoops or bands being held in engagement with the hooks by gravity and the crate collapsed by inverting it so that the hoops or bands will drop by gravity, from engagement with the hooks and pressure on the rings will cause the hinges to fold inwardly and the crate will be collapsed.

My invention will be described in detail hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a view in elevation of my improved crate in its extended position, Fig. 2, a view partly in section of the crate collapsed, Fig. 3, a top plan view, and Figs. 4 and 5, detail views of one of the hinges.

In the drawings similar reference characters will indicate corresponding parts in all of the views.

My improved crate consists of a plurality of rings or bands 1 having inwardly extending transverse ribs 2 secured thereto and on which are secured hinges 3 constructed to break toward the interior of the crate.

Hinges 3 are of the strap type having the ends secured to the ribs 2 slotted as shown at 4 and the parts on each side of the slot curled to form bearing 5 and to receive the pins 6 to secure the hinges to the ribs. The meeting ends of the hinges are pivotally secured together by means of tongues 7 on the lower leaves of the hinges bent around a pintle 8 while the upper leaf has its lower end split to form three parallel tongues, the middle tongue 9 being bent around the pintle 8 while the other tongues are bent to form hooks 10.

11 indicates hoops or bands secured to rings 1 by means of chains or other flexible fastenings and seating in hooks 10 when the crate is extended, as shown in Fig. 1, to pre vent the hinges 3 from folding so that the crate will remain in its extended position, and which are contained in the rings from which they are suspended when the crate is collapsed, as shown in Fig. 2.

In operation the crate is extended by pull ing the end rings 1 away from one another so as to open the hinges 3 when the hoops 11 may be inserted in the hooks 10 or will drop therein if the crate is held in an upright position so as to allow the hoops to drop into position by gravity. The crate is collapsed by inverting it so that the hoops 11 will drop from engagement with the hooks 10 to the rings 1 and by pressing downwardly on the rings 1 the hinges 3 will fold inwardly and the crate be reduced to the combined width of the rings.

1 have shown and described the crate as being-cylindrical but it will be apparent that it may be made with a plurality of flat sides if desired without altering the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a collapsible crate, a plurality of rings or bands, hinges connecting said rings or bands and having hooks thereon, and hoops or bands supported by said rings or bands and engaging the hooks when the hinges are extended to prevent them from folding.

2. A collapsible crate comprising a plurality of rings or bands having transverse ribs on their inner sides, hinges secured to said ribs and connecting the rings or bands in pairs, said hinges having hooks thereon, and hoops or bands suspended from said rings or bands and engaging the hooks on the hinges when extended to prevent them from folding.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ADRIAN A. TAYLOR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

